The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-25
LABOR INTERESTS.

The Line of Procedure Marked Out by the
Executive Board of the Nation al Builders.
CHICAGO. MAY 24-The members of the exec
utive board of the National Association OF
Builders left for their homes this evening" after
issuing an address long enough to fill two col
umns of a newspaper. The document is d.
rected to the Builders and Traders Exchange of
Chicago, to all affiliated bodies of the National
Association of Builders, and to the general
public An entirely new method Of dealing with
workmen is evolved and a course of wholesale
lockouts is advocated At the outset of the ad-
dress complete cessation of work in all the
building trades of Chicago. answer to the
brick-lavers' demand for a Saturday pay day, is
fully indorsed by the board. The question of
Saturday pay day is stated to have been incon-
sequential in ITSELF and easily settled had it
been preceded by long series of usurpatons
by the trades-uDions. After commencing
to the contractors in other cities the course
pursued by the Chicago builders, the board pro-
ceeds to enumerate the encroachments" that
must be encountered by the employers at all
hazards. The first is the concession by which
the unions able to prevent a workman not a
member of the union from obtaining work. This.
the board declares is the real meaning of
the rule that union men shall not
work with non union men, and, says the board,
it amounts to q conspiracy against the rights of
the individual The other encroachments'
the arbitrary powers exercised by walking dele
gates, the restriction of the number of appren-
tees. aud the requirement. that foremen shall
be members of the workmen's union. Better"
says the address. 'that not another brick be
laid or another nail driven in Chicago for a year.
than this opportunity be lost to regain these
rights for the employer"
All branches of the National Builders Associ-
tion then advised to assume the same atti-
tude as their Chicago brethren in the event of
an issue being forced upon them. The address
closes by suggesting that every builders ex-
change throughout the country adopt the follow
ing:
ITO encourage all workmen who wish to have op-
portunity to freely work untrammeed by the i'm
proper requirements of involuntary associations
and to be protected in their work, it will
be wise to and establish at once a
bureau of record in connection with this
association. where any and all workmen may put
themselves record asserting to the principles of
individual liberty announced in Chicago and by and
through which the workmen asserting will be kept
at protected in in preference those who
deny these principles. Let steps be taken after
tain time given develop the honest purpose good
character. skill and ability of the workman
make him a member of this association thus insti
tuting for the first time. union wherein employer
and empoye shall be joined and their interests
sidered as common. they personally should be. We
believe this would be step in the right direction and
the dawn of day when the two branches of workmen
will be arrayed against each other. but will con-
slider and act in concert for their mutual interests